Motives Matter

IN TODAY’S VERSE, Jesus makes a big shift on His audience. They were used to the Law, but Jesus started talking about motives. The Pharisees were trying to do all the right things, but their motives were selfish and self-seeking. It’s not just our external behavior that matters, but what’s going on in our heart.

Read Mark 7:10-16 and check out what Jesus said in verse 16.
 
Have you ever done the right thing for the wrong reason?
 
Does that honor God? Why or why not?
 
What does today’s passage teach you about that?
 
How do we break God’s laws to follow tradition?
 
Does society pressure you to accept behavior that is wrong?
 
What should you do in that situation?

The Pharisees valued being right and making sure everyone obeyed. Jesus finished His teaching with a simple statement—if you have ears, you should listen. Everyone has ears, but not everyone listens. We can focus so much on what we think we should be doing that we never stop to listen to what Jesus says to do. Jesus desires a relationship with us. And out of that relationship flows obedience to His commands. When we spend time in His Word and prayer, we will be more like Him. Legalism comes out of pride and selfishness. When we read the Bible and apply it to everyone else, we have missed the point. When we apply it to our lives, we’ll find the great things God has in store.

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Keep Your Eyes on Christ

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A GOOD IDEA that turned bad? I know I have, and many other people have, too. That’s why we have the old saying, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
In today’s passage, the Pharisees had a good plan. They set up laws and traditions so that they wouldn’t violate God’s laws. The problem came when their laws became more important that God’s, and they began to judge others. We call that legalism. Jesus called it the “tradition of men.” Either way, it’s bad.

Read Mark 7:1-9 and think carefully about verses 8 and 9.
 
What was Jesus’ problem with the Pharisees? Why is that a big deal?
 
What does it mean to honor God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him?
 
 Do you talk about how others are acting?
 Do you find yourself judging others by their behavior?
 Do you find yourself fighting with others about their behavior?
 Does any of that bring glory to God?

Obedience to God’s laws is a great thing, and you should always follow Christ. You should always look for ways to apply God’s laws to your life. It’s also OK to keep people accountable, talk to them about their struggles, and pray for one another. The problem comes when we begin to judge others.

When we judge others, when we cause fights and conflicts, it causes separation between us and God. When we are focused on others, we are not focused on God. We begin to focus on what we think, what the other people are doing, and how they are behaving. It’s hard to keep your eyes on Jesus when you are watching everyone else.

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Remember Who He Is

JOEL IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE books in the Bible. Joel tells of a time that the nation of Israel messed up, and God disciplined the people. God promised that if they asked for forgiveness, He would restore them. God loves and cares for His people; He cares for you. Part of that caring is making sure you are doing the right thing. As a Christian, if you mess up, God will bring discipline, but it’s for your good. Sin is never good for us; it always has negative consequences. That is the reason God gave us His law.

Read Joel 2:21-27 and take a close look at verse 21.
 
God’s message to His disobedient people was to not be afraid. When have you needed to hear these words from God?
 
Why did Joel remind the Israelites of how God had always taken care of them in the past? How has He taken care of you in the past?
 Has something bad ever turned out for your good? What happened?
 How did you see God at work?
 Has it made it easier to trust God in the hard times? Why?
 
In what areas do you struggle to trust God? How can you turn those things over to Him?

During the times of discipline or trial, God is helping you grow and is shaping you. Remember that God wants what is best for you. The Lord will do great things for you, through you, and with you, if you will trust Him. It can be hard when we have plans or ideas of our own. Sometimes we want something so much that we can’t see how it would hurt us. Remember that God knows what is best for us. He knows His plans and the future. Make sure your will lines up with His.

No matter what happened yesterday, God knows what He’s doing. Understand that it’s not too late to do what’s right, and it’s not too late for God to do something amazing.

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Fear Not

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN freaked out? Ever walked up to your cabin after dark?  Ever been outside at night when it was stormy? Can you imagine being in a boat during that same storm? Imagine: it’s windy, so the boat is moving around, and it’s dark so you can’t see well. Suddenly, you see a figure coming toward you . . . walking on the water. This is what happened to the disciples at 3 a.m. one day, according to the Bible. They were tired, it was dark and stormy, and there came Jesus. They thought it was a ghost, since they had never seen anyone walk on water. Frightening!

Read Mark 6:45-52. Carefully consider verse 50b.
 
What do these verses teach you about Jesus’ power?
 
When things got out of control out on the sea, what was the disciples’ first reaction?
 
What is your first reaction when life whirls out of control?

 Of what are you afraid?

 Why does it scare you?
 
How do you think God can use that fear to help you grow?

 Will you trust God in that situation?

Sometimes we get scared. We can be afraid about the future or the things in our lives. Life is uncertain. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re never going to be scared or frightened or feel faithless. The Bible tells us that when we mourn, we mourn with hope. I would also say that when we are afraid, we are afraid with hope. We have hope and comfort in the fact that God is for us and working in us. We experience things that make us afraid, but we can use those situations. Have courage and trust that God will bring you through the dark times.

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It’s All Under Control

PEOPLE IN THE WORLD often seem to want to get rid of Christians. It seems like the rules limit when we can pray and read the Bible. We know that Jesus has conquered the evil forces at work in the world. So what does this mean for you and me? It’s important for us to remember that we are in a battle. Ephesians 6:12 tells us we battle against spiritual forces, not physical forces. We must fight the battle in prayer, worship, and Bible study.

Today we are looking at John 16:29-33. How does verse 33 encourage you?

 Do you find yourself turning from God in hard times? Why?

 When things are difficult, how do you respond? Prayer? Complaints? Anger?

 Does it make it easier or more difficult to trust God? Explain.

 How does God provide for you during difficult times?
 
Why is it important that Jesus says He told His disciples these things so they could have peace?
 
In what areas of your life do you need the peace of a Savior who has overcome the world? What steps will you take to let Him have control of those things?

Do you ever feel like you are being singled out because of your faith? Like it would just be easier to throw in the towel and give up the faith? Jesus told us this would happen. Every day is a battle, and some days we fight harder than others. We study the Bible and learn God’s truths so we can hold fast in hard times. We study passages like the one we have today because it’s a good reminder that Jesus knows what has happened and what will happen—and He’s still in control. He wants us to have peace. The best ways to have peace are to trust Jesus, pray, read your Bible, and spend time with other Christians. It may not be easy when hard times come, but we can make it through because we know that Jesus has overcome.

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Give Him Everything

WHAT ARE YOU passionate about? What gets you going? What motivates you?
Each of us has a passion for something. For some it may be sports. For others it may be friends at school or friends at camp. But as believers, where does Jesus fit? Are you passionate about your relationship with Him? It is easy to get sidetracked by things that in the end will not matter. Everything has its place, but Christ must be first. Our relationship with Him needs to be important. With our focus on Christ, all of our other passions will fall into their proper place.

Read Philippians 3:7-11 and contemplate what was written in verse 8.
 
What was Paul passionate about?
 
Why did he consider everything he had gained as filth?
 
Ultimately, whom did Paul want to glorify in his life?
 
Ultimately, whom do you want to glorify with your life? Why?

Paul loved Jesus. He realized that the most important relationship in his life was the one with his Savior. Paul wanted to glorify Christ in all things. He realized that everything he did paled in comparison to the greatness of Christ. It was because of God’s love and mercy towards him that he was pulled from the depths of sin. His life was completely changed because of the compassion of the Savior, and he wanted everyone to know that. Paul totally submitted to serving Christ, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He willingly and sacrificially gave up his life to serve the One who had done the same thing for him.

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He Can Handle It. Give It Up.

POLICE OFFICER, TEACHER, JUDGE, principal, mom, dad, pastor, counselor. What do all these have in common? If there are some not-so-nice words that pop in your head at the thought of these people, then you should stop what you’re doing and pray about that right now. These individuals are in roles of authority. They have been granted authority over you by the state or by God.

Now think about this: when was the last time you really thought about Jesus having ultimate authority over your life?

Read over Mark 1:21-28. Pay attention to verses 25 and 26.
 
What are some things that jump out at you? (Feel free to take some notes in your Bible.)
 What does verse 24 reveal about Jesus?
 
Read through verses 25 and 26 again. Jesus’ authority was over both the physical and the spiritual. How does this encourage you?
 
Why is it important that Jesus taught “as one having authority” and had the power to perform miracles?

There is an Ultimate Authority to which we all are accountable. It would be easier if we recognize that sooner rather than later. The demons in this passage knew who Jesus was. His words sent them into convulsions. The point? There is power in the words of Christ and authority in His very presence. That same authority isn’t lacking from your life. The power of Christ that is over heaven and earth is the same power in you. So why do we have a problem surrendering to Him? What do you need to surrender completely to Christ today?

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You don’t have to sin.

WHEN YOU’RE IN TROUBLE, to whom do you run? Whom do you ask when you need help? If you have a question, to whom do you go to find the answer?

I hope your answer is that you go to the ultimate authority for each situation. If you’re in trouble, don’t you think you should go to your parents? If you need help, your counselor, friend or parent would probably be able to lend a hand. If you’re looking for an answer, maybe you should go to an expert on the subject. But that only works if you know who the expert actually is.

Read Matthew 4:1-11 and focus on verse 7.
 
Look at the three temptations and the responses of Christ. With what did the Devil begin his temptation of Jesus? How did Jesus respond?
 
The Devil tempted Jesus with physical needs, status, and questioned Jesus’ authority as the Son of God. What does that teach us about how the Devil will tempt us?
 
How did Jesus respond to the Devil’s temptations? What does that teach you about how you can respond?
 
When Jesus used the phrase, “It is written,” what did He reveal to us?
 
Read verse 7. What does it say about the authority of Christ?
 
What do these verses teach you about the power Christ has to overcome sin and temptation? How does that affect your daily life?

You would’ve thought that the Enemy knew better than to tempt Jesus. Maybe he thought this was the only opportunity he would have to stop it before it all started. Jesus had fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, so maybe he thought this was the time. But Jesus spoke with the authority of God’s Word. He also spoke with the authority of God. When you find yourself in trouble, you simply need to run to the One with all authority. His name is Jesus.

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Keeping the Word

Keeping the Word
Read This Passage: 1 John 2:1-4

This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. —1 John 2:3

WHEN YOU SAY you’re going to do something, do you keep your word? What about when a friend asks you not to tell something he or she shared with you? When you think about those questions, you probably come to the conclusion that keeping your word is important.

That’s because it is. Doing what you said you were going to do proves trustworthiness and responsibility. Keeping your word to others displays loyalty and love. Not keeping your word makes you a liar.

Before you take offense, that’s what God calls people who claim to know Him but don’t obey His commandments. Today’s Scripture passage says those who know God keep His commands. And those who say they know Him and don’t do what He’s said, well, those people are liars.

Your relationship with God isn’t just about emotion. It’s not all about going to church or being in the youth group. The evidence that we know and love God is that His Word affects our desires, thoughts, and actions. In other words, Christians obey God. His desires should make a difference in our lives. Is this true for you?
Even though you’re a Christian, sin is going to enter your life. Those who trust in His death on the cross as the payment for their sins have the promise of forgiveness. They confess their sins and turn from them.

The difference between Christians and non-Christians is that Christians truly hate sin and desire to please God. Even though Christians are imperfect, their lives should showcase a pattern of obedience. Does yours?

Real Choices
Answer these questions for yourself: Do I believe Jesus is who He said He is? Do I love other Christians? Do I hate my sins and long to obey God? Do I desire to follow God’s commands? If not, talk to a trusted Christian parent, friend, or pastor.

Digging Deeper
In order to avoid another lie about whether you have a relationship with God, read 1 John 4:19–5:5.

Pray
God, help me to live a life that pleases You. Help me to keep Your commandments and desire to bring glory to You. Forgive me for the times I fail.

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Walk This Way

Walk This Way
Read This Passage: Ephesians 4:1-6

I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received.
—Ephesians 4:1

ON VALENTINE’S DAY, 1973, 20 prisoners of war came home from Vietnam. The first to touch American soil was Jeremiah A. Denton Jr., a naval captain who had been shot down and captured in 1965. Denton spent more than seven years in captivity, including four in solitary confinement. He gained the world’s notice not long after he was imprisoned when, during a televised interview arranged by his captors, he blinked his eyes in Morse Code. Though hard to believe, he succeeded in repeatedly spelling out “T-O-R-T-U-R-E.”

You might think that suffering years of mistreatment, neglect, and torture would cause Denton’s -allegiance to his country to wane. But it did not. As the spokesman for the other arriving POWs, Denton turned to the microphones and said, “We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances. We are profoundly grateful to our commander in chief and to our nation for this day. God bless America.”1

In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, Paul wrote about another type of captive, one he called a “prisoner in the Lord.” He exhorted those of us who claim that title to live like it. We, much like Jeremiah Denton, have an opportunity to serve God under difficult circumstances—ones that require all the humility, gentleness, patience, and love we can muster. God’s standard of success doesn’t look like the world’s. Sometimes we’re called to walk through pain and sacrifice.

Does living this way seem like only a duty or obligation to you? Or are you honored to be a “prisoner in the Lord”?  Are you willing to live for Christ outside of camp, in the “real world”?

Real Choices
Are you facing difficult circumstances in your life? Remind yourself daily that you have a unique opportunity to serve God even during this situation. Demonstrate through your actions (and reactions) that you are a “prisoner in the Lord” today.

Digging Deeper
Paul was a prisoner in more ways than one. Research the Book of Acts to learn about some of his experiences in chains. Discover how he viewed his difficulties in Philippians 1:12-14.

Pray
Pray for your enemies. Ask God to help you show love to those who are causing problems in your life.

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